How to create a setup package for C# Windows application with SQL server

Question

I want to develop a Windows data driven application using C# and SQL server 2008. But I don't know after development of complete application how to create the setup file (Note: I know how to create setup using Visual Studio. But this way the setup file does not include the SQL server agent and may be .Net framework also) in which it contains all the required assemblies and files including SQL server and .Net framework.

Means I want the setup file that will install:

1. The Windows application
2. .Net framework
3. SQL server for connection only

Another question is how to solve the problem of connection string because at the time of SQL server installation, the instance name may be user specific, which means it might be different than my app.config file connection string datasource name.

Please suggest....

Answer 1

am using install shield, it allows you to customize the sql server setup with some arguments that the user won't see, the ones am using are

/ACTION=Install /FEATURES=SQLENGINE /INSTANCENAME=SQLEXPRESS /SQLSVCACCOUNT="NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM"  /ADDCURRENTUSERASSQLADMIN=True

you can specify all the instance name ...., you can also make a background setup by adding /q , for more arguments see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms144259(v=sql.100).aspx